Flight to Freedom for Puppy Mill Dogs – Ohio Dog Auction
Published on December 3, 2009 by Jennifer White · 1 CommentLast week, Humane Police Officers with the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals filed criminal complaints against six Pennsylvania commercial dog breeders after agents and volunteers purchased twelve dogs at a dog auction in Holmes County, Ohio on October 7, 2009. There is clear evidence as set forth in the criminal complaints that the dogs have been victims of deliberate cruelty. This is the first time any law enforcement agency has brought abused breeding dogs back into their state of origin and filed charges against the breeders who harmed them.
PSPCA agents drove unmarked trucks from Philadelphia to the rural town of Baltic, Ohio in Holmes County, to attend the auction, where some of Pennsylvania’s largest commercial dog breeders had sent almost four hundred breeding dogs to be sold at auction. At the same time, investigators from Main Line Animal Rescue flew a private plane, on loan from a generous supporter of MLAR, to Holmes County to attend the same auction. On board was a licensed veterinarian who provided invaluable assistance, examining dogs inside the auction and later dogs purchased by agents and volunteers. Less than two hours after leaving the auction house, several of the dogs purchased were back in the Philadelphia area, passengers on the private plane. PSPCA agents drove through the night to bring still more dogs back to Philadelphia to be evaluated and examined at our Erie Avenue facility. The dogs are receiving extensive medical treatment at this time.
At the auction, hundreds of frightened breeding dogs transported from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania were numbered and stacked to the ceiling in small fetid cages as hundreds of buyers, comprised mainly of Amish dog breeders, made their way through the narrow aisles of the crowded auction house. The majority of the breeding dogs sold were then transported to puppy mills in Ohio and in other states. Many of the filthy, terrified dogs for sale that day were registered with either the American Canine Association or America’s Pet Registry, Inc. – the names of the controversial registries posted on the outside of the dogs’ cages.
The Pennsylvania SPCA and Main Line Animal Rescue urges Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell to investigate/question the state inspectors who walked by these animals during routine inspections of the kennels involved and did nothing to help them. We also ask that the Governor hire a qualified veterinarian to accompany inspectors during inspections – one who will take the time to thoroughly examine each and every dog in Pennsylvania’s problematic commercial dog breeding kennels. The PSPCA will reach out to the Holmes County prosecutor’s office and ask them to investigate the sale of sick and injured dogs at the Dog auction at the Farmerstown Sale Barn in Baltic, Ohio.
Legislation is pending in Ohio (Senate Bill 95 and House Bill 124) which would prohibit such auctions in the future as well as efforts to place a ballot initiative before Ohio voters banning dog auctions altogether.
The Pennsylvania SPCA is the largest animal welfare organization in Pennsylvania and has been dedicated to fighting animal cruelty throughout the Commonwealth for over one hundred years. Main Line Animal Rescue has been in the forefront of raising awareness to the plight of puppy mill dogs and was featured on Oprah’s “puppy mill show.”
Lamb McErlane PC, a law firm located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, has been assisting the Pennsylvania SPCA and Main Line Animal Rescue in dealing with these complex legal issues. A conviction on any or all charges could result in the immediate revocation of PA state kennel licenses as stated in PA’s new dog laws.
Highly Recommended: This could be the most important link you EVER click as far as your dog’s life is concerned – see why….!
Tags: Animal Charities, Animal Cruelty, Animal Welfare, dog auctions, puppy farming, Social Issues
Thanks for this story – I used to live in Ohio, USA and it has has been difficult to convince the general public outside of the state of the sad state of animal care in the Amish community because of the stereotypes of Amish as gentle religious people living the simple life. I have personally seen the complete lack of any mercy shown to the horses on 90 degree days forced to trot on hot roads pulling a wagon or buggy, or tied by the side of the road in the sun with no water (and a tree nearby that any reasonable person would have shared with the horse). Horses covered in sweat with ribs showing as they worked with no mercy.
Now the Amish have found a new source of money and new animals to use and abuse, dogs. Amish puppy mills are spreading in the Mid West. Many of the pups that are sold are sick and many people are protesting the way the pups are raised. Some sites have quotes from the Amish that “God gave them animals to use as they see fit”. Have they not seen any other commands from God to care well for his creation? “Use” does NOT mean “abuse”.
Thankfully measures are being taken to end this – firstly the undercover investigations such as this one by the PSPCA but more importantly a new bill is hoping to get introduced next year – but in order for this 120,700 hard copy signatures are required by December 14 for the Ohio Dog Auctions Act to have any chance of passing in 2010.
If any of your readers are in Ohio and can canvas some signatures – please use the form below to get details and hopefully get this bill into congress.
https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2619&JServSessionIdr004=dkb1hqx9o1.app39b